Liquid beverage dispenser

Claim 2

A liquid dispenser comprising: a transparent liquid dispensing chamber positioned atop a cabinet for holding and dispensing a liquid therefrom while permitting customers to view the liquid contained therein; means for dispensing the liquid from said dispensing chamber; an auger positioned within said dispensing chamber for stirring the liquid contained in said liquid dispensing chamber; a switch for activating said auger; a liquid storage chamber for storing additional amounts of the liquid therein; means for transferring the liquid from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; and a liquid level sensor including measuring means for measuring the liquid level in said dispensing chamber and activating means for activating said transferring means to transfer liquid from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when the liquid level drops below a predetermined level, said liquid level sensor including an optical sensor.

Claim 3

The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 1, wherein said optical sensor includes a fiberoptic emitter mounted at a predetermined level in said dispensing chamber, said fiberoptic emitter being operable for emitting a light into said liquid dispensing chamber.

Claim 4

The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 2, wherein said optical sensor further includes a fiberoptic sensor coupled with said fiberoptic emitter, said fiberoptic sensor including means for sensing when the light emitted by said fiberoptic emitter is refracted by a liquid level higher than the predetermined level.

Claim 5

The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 3, wherein said optical sensor further includes a fiberoptic controller coupled with said fiberoptic sensor, said activating means being operable for activating said transferring means to transfer liquid from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when said fiberoptic sensor senses that the liquid level in said dispensing chamber drops below a predetermined level.

Claim 6

The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transferring means includes a pump and a fluid hose coupling said pump between said dispensing chamber and said storage chamber.

Claim 7

The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 1 further including a flash cooler coupled between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber for quickly cooling the liquid transferred from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber.

Claim 8

A liquid beverage dispenser comprising: a transparent liquid dispensing chamber positioned atop a cabinet for holding and dispensing a liquid beverage therefrom while permitting customers to view the liquid contained therein; means for dispensing the liquid beverage from said dispensing chamber; an auger positioned within said dispensing chamber for stirring the liquid contained in said liquid dispensing chamber; a switch for activating said auger; a liquid storage chamber for storing additional amounts of the liquid beverage therein; a fluid hose coupling said dispensing chamber with said storage chamber; a pump for pumping the liquid beverage through said fluid hose from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; and an optical sensor for measuring the level of the liquid in said dispensing chamber and for activating said pump to pump liquid beverage from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when the level drops below a predetermined level, said optical sensor including a fiberoptic emitter mounted at a predetermined level in said dispensing chamber operable for emitting a light into said liquid dispensing chamber, a fiberoptic sensor coupled with said fiberoptic emitter including means for sensing when the light emitted by said fiberoptic emitter is refracted by a liquid level higher than the predetermined level, a fiberoptic controller coupled with said fiberoptic sensor including means for activating said pump to pump liquid beverage from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when said fiberoptic sensor senses that the liquid level in said dispensing chamber drops below a predetermined level.

Claim 9

A liquid beverage dispenser comprising: a transparent liquid dispensing chamber positioned atop a cabinet for holding and dispensing a liquid beverage therefrom while permitting customers to view the liquid contained therein; means for dispensing the liquid beverage from said dispensing chamber; an auger positioned within said dispensing chamber for stirring the liquid contained in said liquid dispensing chamber; a switch for activating said auger; a liquid storage chamber for storing additional amounts of the liquid beverage therein; a fluid hose coupling said dispensing chamber with said storage chamber; a pump for pumping the liquid beverage through said fluid hose from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber; and an optical sensor for measuring the level of the liquid in said dispensing chamber and for activating said pump to pump liquid beverage from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when the level drops below a predetermined level, said optical sensor including a fiberoptic emitter mounted at a predetermined level in said dispensing chamber operable for emitting a light into said liquid dispensing chamber, a fiberoptic sensor coupled with said fiberoptic emitter including means for sensing when the light emitted by said fiberoptic emitter is refracted by a liquid level higher than the predetermined level, a fiberoptic controller coupled with said fiberoptic sensor including means for activating said pump to pump liquid beverage from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber when said fiberoptic sensor senses that the liquid level in said dispensing chamber drops below a predetermined level.

Claim 10

The liquid dispenser as set forth in claim 7 further including a flash cooler coupled between said storage chamber and said dispensing chamber for quickly cooling the liquid transferred from said storage chamber to said dispensing chamber.